So State of Play is a movie, a remake from State Of Play, a miniseries (6 episodes of 1 hour) that aired in 2003 on the BBC (UK). As the movie is a remake, I will state the differences and why this movie is so bad, compared with the original.
Main reason : the cast. Here, in the movie,you have Russel Crowe (playing Cal MacCaffrey - established journalist), big movie star with long hair that could be an add for a shampoo as a reviewer already said. You also have Ben Affleck (Stephen Collins), Cutie actor who is as credible as a politician as a tomato trying to look like a green bean. Another Cutie as a woman this time (playing Della Frye, a newbie journalist), the "Girl who has no use in the movie but looks good and that's enough". And the only good actress with an interesting role plays the Editor. And that's all. The whole movie rests on 4 actors.
In the BBC miniseries, between the great John Simm (MacCaffrey, has played the Master on DrWho), David Morissey (Stephen Collins, playing in The Walking Dead), James Mc Avoy, Bill Nighy, Kelly McDonald (Della an accomplished journalist, see the difference with the movie?, now playing in the Boardwalk Empire), Polly Walker and so on... See what I mean ? The miniseries is an ensemble cast series, and that's what makes its greatness.
As for dummy things in the movie : at the end, Russel Crowe (scuse me, Cal MacCaffrey) sits at his desk and writes his 10 pages article in two hours. I didn't know being a journalist was so easy ! In comparison, in the miniseries, Cal Mac Caffrey (John Simm) changes only the title of his article ...
The movie was all about Russel and his hair, Ben and his good look, The Girl and her I don't know what. The miniseries was all about the characters and their depth, the well crafted story, the authenticity of its not world known actresses and actors... I know what I prefer.
Main reason : the cast. Here, in the movie,you have Russel Crowe (playing Cal MacCaffrey - established journalist), big movie star with long hair that could be an add for a shampoo as a reviewer already said. You also have Ben Affleck (Stephen Collins), Cutie actor who is as credible as a politician as a tomato trying to look like a green bean. Another Cutie as a woman this time (playing Della Frye, a newbie journalist), the "Girl who has no use in the movie but looks good and that's enough". And the only good actress with an interesting role plays the Editor. And that's all. The whole movie rests on 4 actors.
In the BBC miniseries, between the great John Simm (MacCaffrey, has played the Master on DrWho), David Morissey (Stephen Collins, playing in The Walking Dead), James Mc Avoy, Bill Nighy, Kelly McDonald (Della an accomplished journalist, see the difference with the movie?, now playing in the Boardwalk Empire), Polly Walker and so on... See what I mean ? The miniseries is an ensemble cast series, and that's what makes its greatness.
As for dummy things in the movie : at the end, Russel Crowe (scuse me, Cal MacCaffrey) sits at his desk and writes his 10 pages article in two hours. I didn't know being a journalist was so easy ! In comparison, in the miniseries, Cal Mac Caffrey (John Simm) changes only the title of his article ...
The movie was all about Russel and his hair, Ben and his good look, The Girl and her I don't know what. The miniseries was all about the characters and their depth, the well crafted story, the authenticity of its not world known actresses and actors... I know what I prefer.